NICOLA Sturgeon has indicated she and her party would not support an Alba motion calling on the Scottish Government to immediately start independence negotiations following next week’s election.

If Alex Salmond’s party succeeds in winning seats on May 6, their policy is to call on ministers to open a dialogue with the UK Government on the delivery of indyref2 and the possible terms of independence.

The policy is distinct from that of the SNP, who have called for a referendum on Scotland’s future to be held in the next parliamentary term.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4 this morning, the SNP leader dismissed the Alba push for a more fast-paced strategy on self-determination.

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Early in the interview, Sturgeon wanted to make clear that she is “not proposing a referendum right now … certainly not proposing a referendum while the country is still dealing with the crisis of Covid”.

“Some of my critics in the independence movement might, or do, say that I’m too cautious on that front,” she told listeners. “But actually I think it’s a good thing to be cautious when we’re talking about a crisis. A health crisis and of course the future of our country.”

The presenter then brought up the former First Minister’s new party, which is only standing on the list on May 6 with the aim of creating an independence “supermajority”.

“If they do get into the parliament they’ve said they’re going to put down a motion immediately to instruct the Scottish Government to start independence negotiations. Would you then, as the SNP, vote against that motion?” he asked.

Sturgeon replied: “Well firstly, before I substantively answer that, the polls right now – and I accept that polls are polls and it’s votes that’s will count – will suggest that’s not going to be the reality next week.

“Alba are polling at 2, 3% or thereabouts. But we’ll see what the election throws up next Thursday. But my immediate focus if I’m re-elected next Thursday is to get back to work, to continue to steer the country through Covid.”

The host replied: “So you’d vote against Alba if they suggested that?”

The First Minister said again that is she is not proposing a referendum right now.

“I’m a life-long believer in independence, I want Scotland to be independent,” she said. “But firstly we’ve got to steer the country through the crisis and of course we’ve got to build the majority for independence through patient persuasion.

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“And people who are serious about achieving independence, I think, understand that. I actually think talk of supermajorities and gaming the system and trying to bulldoze our way to independence almost regardless of the state of public opinion, it risks putting those that we need to persuade of the case for independence off rather than pulling them towards us.”

The BBC presenter added: “So that’s … to say that if Alba were to put down that motion you would instruct the SNP to vote against it.”

Alba’s official policy is for negotiations to start immediately, before a National Commission for Scotland’s independence is set up. This would exist to “build a robust and fully formed plan for how an independent Scotland will be built”.

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Their manifesto also suggests using “diplomatic pressure and international legal action, and the mobilisation of the Scottish people through popular and peaceful demonstration and direct action”.

Panelbase polls have found support for Alba higher than other firms, with the company consistently putting support for the party at about 6%. This would translate into seats in the Scottish Parliament, the firm says.

Yesterday a new Savanta ComRes poll put support for the SNP in both the constituency and list down slightly, and predicted the party would miss out on a majority and lose two seats next week.

It recorded support for the pro-independence Scottish Greens three points up, with the party on track to secure 11 MSPs. Under the Savanta ComRes model there would be 72 pro-independence MSPs elected to Holyrood.